Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
Raymond Corbey collection of African postcards
Corbey, Raymond, 1954-
EEPA.2002-006
Archival Resource Key
255 Postcards
(silver gelatin prints)
black & white
9 x 14 cm.
between 1900-1930
Postcards collected by Dr. Raymond Corbey whose published works discuss most of the postcards in this collection. One part of the collection consists of postcards which Corbey acquired. The second part of the collection was compiled by a French colonial, known only as "Nic."
Dr. Corbey organized the postcards according to theme and publisher. Themes include Northern Africa World Fairs and Religious Societies. Publishers include J. Geiser (Algiers), Lehnert and Landrock (Tunis), Gautron (Dakar), Fortier (Dakar), and Nels and Ernest Thill (Brussels).
Among the more prominent postcard images is one of a minkisi by R. Visser (ca. 1890), depictions of installations and fairs at Tervuren (1900) colon sculptures in Savalou (Benin), circa 1920, an early depiction of a "Ricksha" boy, a Luba mask dancer, and a village chief in Dahomey.
English
.
1
2
Biographical/Historical note
Dr. Raymond Corbey, a philosopher at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, who has written several essays and a book on postcards.
Arrangement note
Postcards organized in two volumes.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Conditions Governing Access note
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Custodial History note
Purchased, 2002.
Preferred Citation
Raymond Corbey collection of African postcards, EEPA 2002-006, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Senegal
Benin
Africa
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Picture postcards
Corbey, Raymond, 1954-